Country guide · United Kingdom
UK boarding schools,
applying from abroad.
This guide is for families living outside the UK who are considering a British boarding school. It covers the usual points of entry, how UK year groups are worked out, the tests schools set, and visas and guardians for students under 18, with links to the official sources. British education is where ELT started, in London in 1984.
On this page
01 / Entry points
Three common ways in.
| Entry | UK year group joined | How schools usually select |
|---|---|---|
| 11+ | Year 7 | The school's own exams, sometimes a pre-test; overseas applicants may also be asked to take UKiset |
| 13+ | Year 9 | ISEB Pre-Test, then Common Entrance or the school's own exams; overseas applicants may also be asked to take UKiset |
| 16+ (Sixth Form) | Year 12 | Tests in the A-Level or IB subjects the student plans to take, and an interview |
11+
- UK year group joined
- Year 7
- How schools usually select
- The school's own exams, sometimes a pre-test; overseas applicants may also be asked to take UKiset
13+
- UK year group joined
- Year 9
- How schools usually select
- ISEB Pre-Test, then Common Entrance or the school's own exams; overseas applicants may also be asked to take UKiset
16+ (Sixth Form)
- UK year group joined
- Year 12
- How schools usually select
- Tests in the A-Level or IB subjects the student plans to take, and an interview
Requirements are set school by school. See 11+ and 13+ and the UKiset guide.
02 / Year groups
Placing your child in a UK year.
UK school years begin in September, and the year group is fixed by a child's age on 31 August. Two children in the same class at home can therefore belong to different UK year groups, depending on their birthdays and on when their current school year starts.
We begin by working out the UK year group from your child's date of birth, then look at which entry point fits. The application timeline sets this out as a table.
03 / Tests
The assessments schools set.
04 / Visas and guardians
Students under 18.
- Students aged 4 to 17 going to an independent school usually need a Child Student visa. Details are on GOV.UK (opens in a new tab).
- Schools may ask overseas boarders to have an educational guardian living in the UK. ELT does not act as a guardian; we provide a list of providers for you to choose from （to be confirmed） and tell you if we receive a referral fee from any of them.
- Some guardianship providers hold accreditation from AEGIS (opens in a new tab).
05 / From your country
Hours and distance.
The time difference with the UK depends on where you live, and it shifts by an hour when British Summer Time begins and ends. Before entry, lessons are scheduled in your own time zone; once your child is at school, they move to fit the school timetable, and progress reports continue to come to you — see tutoring for boarding school students.
Each school sets its own fees, including any boarding fees. Examples of schools: （to be confirmed）
Partner schools.
When we name schools, partner schools carry a mark. ELT may receive a referral fee from a partner school; it has no effect on which schools we suggest or in what order. More on this under school applications.
06 / Questions
Families ask.
Which entry point is right for my child?
That depends on your child's date of birth, current school and the schools you have in mind. Some boarding schools take their main intake at 13+; others admit at 11+ or 16+ as well.
Does it matter which country we apply from?
Schools assess each applicant on their own terms. What changes with your country is mainly the calendar of your child's current school, where tests are taken and the time difference. Ask your coordinator to check these for the schools you choose.
Can you guarantee a place?
No. Admissions decisions belong to the schools.
About this article
- Written by
- （to be confirmed）
- Reviewed by
- （to be confirmed）
- Last updated
- 2026-10-31
Sources
- Independent Schools Council (ISC) (opens in a new tab)isc.co.uk
- GOV.UK — Child Student visa (opens in a new tab)gov.uk
- GOV.UK — school admissions and starting age (opens in a new tab)gov.uk
- ISEB — Independent Schools Examinations Board (opens in a new tab)iseb.co.uk
- UKiset (opens in a new tab)ukiset.com
- AEGIS — guardianship accreditation (opens in a new tab)aegisuk.net
Plan the route.
Send us your child's date of birth, current school and year, and the country you live in.